1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer apparatus, and more particularly relates to apparatus for slidably mounting a server unit drawer structure to the cabinet framework of a rack mounted computer system.
2. Description of Related Art
In the interest of installation floor space economy, main portions of high capacity computer systems are often mounted in rack structures that typically comprise vertically elongated, floor mounted cabinet assemblies of standard sizes. The cabinet assembly conventionally used for this purpose typically includes a rectangular internal frame structure externally covered by removable panels and a horizontally pivotable front access door.
One of the subsystems conventionally incorporated in a rack-mounted computer system of this type is a central server which is basically a high capacity computer operatively coupled to remotely located computer work stations. To provide access to the server components they are typically mounted in a server drawer structure slidably supported in the internal frame portion of the rack cabinet for horizontal movement relative thereto between a forwardly extended component access position, and a rearwardly retracted closed operating position.
The vertically elongated cabinet frame structure is typically of an industry-standard horizontal width (along its front side), but may have varying horizontal depths. Extending vertically along each of the left and right sides of the cabinet frame structure are front and rear corner support channels. Each server drawer structure incorporated in the particular rack-mounted computer system is slidably secured on opposite sides thereof to a pair of front and rear corner support channels by a pair of longitudinally adjustable slide mount assemblies each having a two piece slide support bracket and a telescoping slide structure.
To operatively mount a server drawer on the associated rack cabinet frame, the two slide mount assemblies must first be constructed and attached to the facing pairs of front and rear corner support channels. At each side of the cabinet support structure this is accomplished by measuring the horizontal distance between the front and rear support channels, positioning the two slide support bracket sections apart a distance such that outer ends thereof will be adjacent the front and rear support channels when construction of the slide mount assembly is completed, securing an inner end portion of the telescoping slide structure to the spaced apart slide support bracket sections, with a series of screws and nuts, at locations thereon which will maintain the selected spacing therebetween, and then placing the slide support bracket sections adjacent their associated corner support channels to verify that the distance between the slide support section outer ends precisely matches the distance between the corner support channels to which they will ultimately be secured.
If the distance between the slide support bracket section outer ends is greater or less than that required, the inner end portion of the telescoping slide structure must be disconnected from one of the slide support bracket section outer ends, to permit the distance between the slide support bracket section outer ends to be adjusted, and then reconnected to the slide support section outer end. The bracket portions of the overall slide mount assembly must then again be positioned adjacent their associated corner support channels to test their separation length before they are secured to their associated corner support channels.
As can be seen, this length adjustment of the bracket portion of each slide mount assembly tends to be an iterative, rather tedious task which must often be carried out several times for each assembly before it properly fits the horizontal depth of the cabinet structure. It also typically demands a considerable amount of manual dexterity due to the separate screws and nuts which must be handled from opposite sides of the slide mount assembly to install, loosen and retighten the telescoping slide portion of the assembly to the two bracket portions thereof.
After this length adjustment is finally made to each of the two slide mount assemblies required to slidably mount a server drawer to the cabinet frame structure, the two spaced apart slide bracket sections of each assembly are secured to their associated front and rear corner support channels using threaded fasteners. The outer ends of the telescoping slide structures are then secured to the opposite side walls of their associated server drawer.
The drawer mounting problems typically do not, however, end here. After the drawer is secured to the outer ends of the telescoping slide structures its front end wall is often horizontally and/or vertically misaligned with the front end walls of the front end walls of server drawers directly above and below it due to horizontal and/or vertical misalignments of the front slide bracket sections relative to the front corner support channels of the rack cabinet. When this occurs, the server drawer must be removed from the telescoping slide structures on its opposite sides, to permit the front slide support bracket sections to be reoriented on their associated corner support channels, and then reconnected to the outer ends of the telescoping slide structures. This process must often be repeated several times for each drawer to provide the requisite horizontal and vertical alignment among the various vertically stacked server drawers incorporated in the overall rack-mounted computer system.
As can readily be seen from the foregoing, it would be highly desirable to provide improved server drawer slide mount apparatus that eliminates or at least substantially minimizes the above-mentioned problems, limitations and disadvantages commonly associated with conventional slide mount apparatus as generally described above. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such improved slide mount apparatus.